Our hair is exposed to many elements throughout the day that can make it dry and unhealthy. Maybe you use a flat iron on a daily basis, or spend a lot of time in the sun. Regardless of the reason, keeping hair in the best shape possible can be costly, both in time and money.

Split ends are the most common hair care problem and can be caused by several different reasons. Using heated appliances such as blow dryers will suck the moisture out of hair. Excessive brushing or brushing wet hair can cause damage. Chemically processed hair and even a poor diet can cause dull, dry hair and split ends.

There are several styling products and tricks that reduce the appearance of split ends, but once a hair is split, it cannot be repaired. Hair care products can mask the appearance of split ends, but it’s only temporary. The only way to repair split ends is to have them cut off.

There are several ways to prevent split ends:

Do not buy into the hype that a product can repair your split ends. The only way to repair your hair is to have split ends cut off.

If you shampoo daily, use a gentle cleanser that won’t strip hair of oils. Soy cleansers make a great choice because of their natural cleansing ability.

Follow up with a moisturizing conditioner. Make sure to coat ends and leave on for at least three minutes.

Always rinse hair in lukewarm water. Using hot water strips the scalp of sebum, the oil that gives hair shine.

Do not vigorously towel dry your hair. Instead, gently squeeze excess water using your hands, and pat hair down with a towel to remove any remaining water.

Do not brush wet hair; instead gently use a wide tooth comb.

Skip the blow dryer and let air dry.

If using a flat or curling iron, apply a heat protecting product first. Use the lowest heat setting possible to produce the style you want.